If Coyle gets the sack

[plymouth wanderer]

Oh, we're back at the hope point of the circle! We're rubbish and can't buy a point - he stumbles upon a side that wins a game - we're putting a run together here, we might be all right, hopeful - what the bastard feck team is that? No, he hasn't learnt, we're rubbish again and can't buy a point.

Unfortunately the circle is much more like an egg with a pointy successful end and large rounded back of shite at the bottom.

Agreed

Coyle will go back to 442 because we are at home

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Oh, we're back at the hope point of the circle! We're rubbish and can't buy a point - he stumbles upon a side that wins a game - we're putting a run together here, we might be all right, hopeful - what the bastard feck team is that? No, he hasn't learnt, we're rubbish again and can't buy a point.

Unfortunately the circle is much more like an egg with a pointy successful end and large rounded back of shite at the bottom.

Agreed

Coyle will go back to 442 because we are at home

That is the worry because obviously its more attacking and entertaining and you have to do that at home even if it means you get pasted because you're wide open and dont have a goalscorer.
Damn you
You reminded me of last season again!

[jmjhb]

Well, we'd only be wide open if we don't play with 2 holding midfielders

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Well, we'd only be wide open if we don't play with 2 holding midfielders

Trueish but then Mavis would disappear on the wing(because he has to play doesnt he) and neither eagles or petrov are going to be much help to our not very convincing fullbacks and besides whats the point in playing wingers who put crosses in that no one will attack.Just sets us up for a counter attack everytime.A good 442 needs more than two players capable of defending in the midfield. You can only get away with one Petrov type.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Indeed - if he reverts to a two-winger 4-4-2 (his default home system) he has to either play Mavies wide or have him as one of two central midfielders. Neither really works.

[BWFC_Insane]

Indeed - if he reverts to a two-winger 4-4-2 (his default home system) he has to either play Mavies wide or have him as one of two central midfielders. Neither really works.

There were two key parts to the system on Saturday, one was filling midfield, so in effect playing only one "winger" and then three in midfield AND letting Mark Davies and Eagles "float" around rather than be constrained to their wings.

I think the performance of Eagles was as good as I've seen for a while here, in that slightly "freer" role behind the front two.

The slight freedom it gave those players provided movement, but with a still solid base.

I just hope we stick with it, and maybe even go a stage further at some point by adding Lee in for one of the strikers to get to something like the fabled 4-2-3-1.

I think that could be very exciting potentially....

[CAPSLOCK]

I think it leaves us very vulnerable to a decent left sided player

Cockend will just think it worked against Wigan in October so we'll do it again

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Indeed - if he reverts to a two-winger 4-4-2 (his default home system) he has to either play Mavies wide or have him as one of two central midfielders. Neither really works.

There were two key parts to the system on Saturday, one was filling midfield, so in effect playing only one "winger" and then three in midfield AND letting Mark Davies and Eagles "float" around rather than be constrained to their wings.

I think the performance of Eagles was as good as I've seen for a while here, in that slightly "freer" role behind the front two.

The slight freedom it gave those players provided movement, but with a still solid base.

I just hope we stick with it, and maybe even go a stage further at some point by adding Lee in for one of the strikers to get to something like the fabled 4-2-3-1.

I think that could be very exciting potentially....

Can see how that would work but it does require some responsibility in terms of who covers and when in order to keep the 3. I've felt for some time that eagles would benefit from a free role but so would Mavis. Infact I'm still not convinced we should be picking both in the same 11 as their best position is the same one and with both in a midfield it does mean you are carrying two players in that midfield when we dont have the ball(wasnt a big issue v wednesday but wil be against better teams.Alonso and CYL(if he can find form) in the wide midfield positions would be more effective defensively and would genuinle free Eagles to get about and do damage with the knowledge that when he's knackered there's an ideal replacement waiting to come on.
Course it also means one striker such as sordell or NGog being mobilit and hold up play would be crucial. It would also leave some frighteningly useful impact players fresh tocome from the bench as the opposition tires.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

We seem to have realised that we need more than one midfielder who knows how to tackle. Such was the case in Coyle's best prolonged run, with Stuey and Mooey working like Trojans. But that was in a straight two-wingered 4-4-2, whereas this formation is different... potentially disastrously so.

Picking two 'free' players plus two strikers leaves us in great danger of those midfield two being completely overrun. Even if the wingers are lacklustre wimps, they can (or should...) shuffle back to protect their full-back, but a narrow (or overly fluid) midfield four risks leaving opponents doubling up on full-backs who are hardly at the top of their profession.

If we give a free role to one player (on form, unquestionably Eagles) and play a midfield trio behind him, there's still the danger that opponents can quickly switch to exploit gaps but those gaps are far less frequent and far less exploitable. Mark Davies may still never excel in central midfield, but in a central trio rather than duo he should have more licence to get forward if his compadres show diligence and intelligence.

Which is nice but doesn't solve the riddle of what happens when our full-backs are up against dangerous wide men. I suspect the answer may not be pleasant, but hey, I've no wish to be Captain Buzzkill - after the five-man midfield and the 4-3-1-2, maybe there's already a plan D.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

That Wilfrid Zaha playing for Palace this weekend is he...?

[Ianmooreslovechild]

We seem to have realised that we need more than one midfielder who knows how to tackle. Such was the case in Coyle's best prolonged run, with Stuey and Mooey working like Trojans. But that was in a straight two-wingered 4-4-2, whereas this formation is different... potentially disastrously so.

Picking two 'free' players plus two strikers leaves us in great danger of those midfield two being completely overrun. Even if the wingers are lacklustre wimps, they can (or should...) shuffle back to protect their full-back, but a narrow (or overly fluid) midfield four risks leaving opponents doubling up on full-backs who are hardly at the top of their profession.

If we give a free role to one player (on form, unquestionably Eagles) and play a midfield trio behind him, there's still the danger that opponents can quickly switch to exploit gaps but those gaps are far less frequent and far less exploitable. Mark Davies may still never excel in central midfield, but in a central trio rather than duo he should have more licence to get forward if his compadres show diligence and intelligence.

Which is nice but doesn't solve the riddle of what happens when our full-backs are up against dangerous wide men. I suspect the answer may not be pleasant, but hey, I've no wish to be Captain Buzzkill - after the five-man midfield and the 4-3-1-2, maybe there's already a plan D.

That's very much how I'm seeing it. Could murder some weaker teams but then be murdered ourselves by the better ones.That's why I'd rather see a tighter core with players wide who can tackle and support fullbacks. Alonso and CYL could chip in with a few goals as could Andrews,a free running eagles would be a menace and maybe one of the strikers will pick up one or two. Having Mavis Eagles and two strikers leaves A hell of a lot for Andrews and even moreso spearing to do as Andrews likes to get forward a bit too.

[TKIZ!]

That Wilfrid Zaha playing for Palace this weekend is he...?

Over-rated

[Tals-biggest-fan]

Jose Mourinho has said he wants to return to England at any club, Wack in a sneaky offer of a free steak and kidney after every game and he's ours.

[a1]

if he wanted that, he cudve rocked up after allardyce did one.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

That Wilfrid Zaha playing for Palace this weekend is he...?

To think, he could have been sat on our bench for the last 8 months had we only offered more money.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Instead he'll probably tear our full back a new one tomorrow !

[thebish]

Instead he'll probably tear our full back a new one tomorrow !

ahhh - the legend of the one that got away - those players stand just slightly taller than the ones that Coyle doesn't pick..

if only we could make a team out of the ones that got away and the ones that don't get picked - we'd be in the champions league!

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Instead he'll probably tear our full back a new one tomorrow !

ahhh - the legend of the one that got away - those players stand just slightly taller than the ones that Coyle doesn't pick..

if only we could make a team out of the ones that got away and the ones that don't get picked - we'd be in the champions league!

No, we've got shit full backs

[thebish]

Instead he'll probably tear our full back a new one tomorrow !

ahhh - the legend of the one that got away - those players stand just slightly taller than the ones that Coyle doesn't pick..

if only we could make a team out of the ones that got away and the ones that don't get picked - we'd be in the champions league!

No, we've got shit full backs

ahh - I suppose there is that too!!

[boltonboris]

Instead he'll probably tear our full back a new one tomorrow !

ahhh - the legend of the one that got away - those players stand just slightly taller than the ones that Coyle doesn't pick..

if only we could make a team out of the ones that got away and the ones that don't get picked - we'd be in the champions league!

No, we've got shit full backs

Hahaha